1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to nanocrystalline metal oxide films and, more particularly, to nanocrystalline metal oxide films having a redox active material or redox chromophore attached thereto, wherein the redox active material or redox chromophore includes an attachment promoting moiety to, in turn, enhance durability of associated devices using the same.
2. Background Art
Nanocrystalline metal oxide films have been known in the art for several years and are the subject of a plurality of United States Patents, including, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,239 B2 entitled “Electrochromic System,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,038 B1 entitled “Electrochromic System,” both of which are issued to Fitzmaurice et al., and both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, including the references cited therein.
As is disclosed in the above-referenced patents, attachment of a redox chromophore (which in many cases comprises an organic dye, such as a viologen) to a nanocrystalline metal oxide conventionally occurs utilizing a phosphate or carboxylate moiety.
While attachment of a redox chromophore to a nanocrystalline metal oxide using a phosphate or carboxylate moiety has been disclosed, durability of the same in devices, such as electrochromic devices, solar cells, etcetera, remains largely problematic, or at least, less than desirable for commercial applications.
It has now been surprisingly discovered that nanocrystalline metal oxide films for use in associated electrochromic devices, solar cells, etcetera, can be fabricated which exhibit increased durability by utilizing a redox active material or redox chromophore which comprises an enhanced attachment promoting moiety.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide nanocrystalline metal oxide films having a redox active material or redox chromophore attached thereto, which remedies the aforementioned detriments and/or complications associated with the durability of conventional nanocrystalline metal oxide films and associated devices.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.